Glassomer
Glassomer GmbH is a Freiburg-based manufacturer that uses a patented composite-shaping-and-sintering process to produce high-purity fused silica glass parts for optics, microfluidics, solar, medtech, and automotive customers, selling custom parts, prototypes, and stereolithography resins.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersFreiburg Im Breisgau, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Glassomer does
Glassomer GmbH is a Freiburg im Breisgau-based precision glass manufacturer founded in 2018 as a commercial spin-out of research conducted at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) by Frederik Kotz-Helmer and Bastian E. Rapp. The company commercializes a proprietary "Glassomer Process" — a composite material system that combines high-purity fused silica glass powder with an organic binder matrix and can be shaped on standard polymer injection molding machines at approximately 130°C or via stereolithography 3D printing. The shaped parts are subsequently debinded at 600°C and sintered at 1,300°C to produce fully dense, highly transparent (>92% VIS, 84% UV at 200nm, >90% IR 1000–3400nm) fused silica components with bending strength of 115 MPa and Vickers hardness of 980 HV.
The company targets five primary verticals — Optics and Photonics, Lab-on-a-Chip/Microfluidics, SolarTech, MedTech, and Automotive — with a portfolio of custom Glass Injection Molding parts, Glass 3D Printing prototyping services, photocurable Glassomer-SL resins, precision lenses (refractive, diffractive, microlens arrays, aspherical), microfluidic glass chips, tailored glass components, and jewelry/art pieces. Only one named external relationship exists: a channel partnership with Microfluidic ChipShop (Jena) for finished fused silica microfluidic chips with connectors. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales with global prototype distribution via Protiq.com.
Glassomer generates revenue through quote-based contract manufacturing of custom fused silica parts, sale of Glassomer-SL stereolithography resins, joint development agreements and feasibility studies, and sample-box fees. The company has raised approximately €2.9 million in non-dilutive funding from the European Innovation Council under the EU Horizon 2020 programme (grant agreement No. 967328). It holds core patents on glass injection molding (2020) and the Glassomer 3D printing process, and its underlying science has been published in Nature (2017) and Science (2021). The company operates from two Freiburg locations and a team of 18 people spanning science, technology, production, and sales.
Glassomer firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Glassomer
- Legal name
- Glassomer GmbH
- Website
- https://glassomer.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Glassomer GmbH is a Freiburg-based manufacturer that uses a patented composite-shaping-and-sintering process to produce high-purity fused silica glass parts for optics, microfluidics, solar, medtech, and automotive customers, selling custom parts, prototypes, and stereolithography resins.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Glassomer industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Precision Fused Silica Glass Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing (32721), Other Pressed and Blown Glass and Glassware Manufacturing (327212), Glass Product Manufacturing Made of Purchased Glass (327215)
- SIC
- Glass & Glassware, Pressed Or Blown (3220), Glass Products, Made Of Purchased Glass (3231)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ceramic & Glass 3D Printing Services (IMAAADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Injection Molded Optical & Transparent Parts (Lenses, Light Guides) (IMANAFAL)
Keywords
Where Glassomer is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Freiburg Im Breisgau
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Glassomer business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Custom Glass Parts Manufacturing: Glassomer manufactures and sells high-purity fused silica glass components, from prototype small series via 3D printing to large-scale production via injection molding. Customers submit design requirements and Glassomer produces parts to specification. Contract manufacturing from small to large scale, joint development agreements, and feasibility studies are offered.
- Glass 3D Printing Resins: Glassomer sells photocurable Glassomer-SL liquid resins for stereolithography in 500g, 1kg, 5kg, and 10kg quantities, available for wavelengths of 365nm, 385nm, and 405nm, enabling customers to do their own 3D glass printing.
- Prototype Manufacturing Services: Glassomer offers glass prototyping services including glass bottle prototyping, arts and jewelry printing, and custom 3D printed glass parts. Distributors like Protiq.com handle 3D printed prototype fulfillment.
- Joint Development Agreements: Glassomer engages in joint development agreements with customers for tailored fused silica components, feasibility studies, and co-development of special applications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sample Box - Injection Molding |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sample Box - 3D Printing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sample Box - Mixed |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Glassomer-SL Resins |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Glassomer product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Glassomer manufactures and sells high-purity fused silica glass components produced via its patented Glassomer Process. The proprietary composite material (glass powder + organic binder) is shaped like a polymer on standard injection molding machines or 3D printers, then thermally processed to yield transparent, fully dense fused silica glass parts. Offerings span Glass Injection Molding services, Glass 3D Printing prototyping, precision Lenses, Microfluidic glass chips, and Tailored Components, sold B2B to customers worldwide.
Product overview
Glassomer offers a portfolio of precision glass manufacturing products based on its proprietary Glassomer Technology for producing high-purity fused silica glass parts. The core offerings include Glass Injection Molding (the company's flagship patented technology enabling glass shaping on standard polymer machinery) and Glass 3D Printing (for prototyping). Supporting products include Lenses (diffractive and refractive optics, microlens arrays), Microfluidics (high-precision glass chips), Tailored Components (custom glass parts), and Jewelry & Art products. Sample Boxes provide representative parts for customer evaluation. Products are available through direct sales from the Freiburg production facility and a global distributor network including Protiq.com.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Glass Injection Molding Worldwide unique, patented technology enabling injection molding of transparent high-purity fused silica glass on standard polymer injection molding machinery at near-room temperature, producing complex parts from micro to macro scale with cycle times of a few seconds. Targeted at industrial-scale production of precision glass components.
- Glass 3D Printing Prototyping service for customized glass parts using stereolithography 3D printing with Glassomer-SL photocurable liquid resins at 365nm, 385nm, and 405nm wavelengths. Available resins in 500g, 1kg, 5kg, and 10kg packaging for customer in-house use, plus contract prototyping services for glass bottles, functional parts, and design objects.
- Lenses Precision lens production in fused silica glass, including refractive optics (classic lens shapes from millimeters to centimeters), diffractive optical elements (multi-layer DOE), microlens arrays (MLA), aspherical lenses, and square-shaped lenses. Targeted at optics and photonics customers needing illumination, imaging, and light-shaping components.
- Microfluidics
- Tailored Components
- Jewelry & Art
- Glassomer-SL 3D Printing Resins Photocurable Glassomer-SL liquid resins for stereolithography 3D printing, available in 500g, 1kg, 5kg, and 10kg packaging at wavelengths of 365nm, 385nm, and 405nm. Sold to customers to enable in-house 3D printing of fused silica glass parts.
Quantifiable outcome
- >92% VIS light transmission (300-1000nm)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Glassomer
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Glassomer technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Glassomer partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Microfluidic ChipShopcoreGlassomer partners with Microfluidic ChipShop in Jena to produce high-precision fused silica glass chips with connectors attached. This collaboration enables Glassomer to offer finished microfluidic chip products including PCR chips to customers, combining Glassomer's fused silica material expertise with ChipShop's chip manufacturing and connector integration capabilities.
- Protiq.comminorProtiq.com serves as a distributor for Glassomer's 3D printed glass prototypes. Through this channel, customers can access detailed information on possible designs, part sizes, and features, and obtain prototype offers directly from the distributor platform.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Glassomer competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lithoz: Austrian specialist in ceramic SLA 3D printing using a similar resin-and-sinter workflow. Most direct technological analogue to Glassomer's composite-material approach, though focused on technical ceramics rather than fused silica glass.
- 3DCeram (3D Ceram Sinto): French ceramic SLA 3D printing company offering both printers and part production services. Closely comparable service-and-materials model targeting industrial customers in aerospace, medical and electronics.
- Sculpteo: Online 3D printing service bureau (acquired by BASF) offering multi-material printing including ceramics. Comparable business model in on-demand 3D printing services and could compete for similar prototype customers.
Broad incumbents
- Schott AG: German specialty glass giant with deep portfolios in optics, pharma, and electronics glass. The most natural strategic acquirer or competitor; could leverage precision glass molding (PGM) capabilities to challenge Glassomer in optics and microfluidics.
- Corning Incorporated: Global leader in specialty glass and ceramics for display, telecommunications, life sciences and automotive. Operates broad precision glass molding for optics and could enter or block the niches Glassomer targets.
- Hoya Corporation: Japanese specialty glass and optics manufacturer serving semiconductor, mask blank, and medical endoscope markets. Overlaps with Glassomer's MedTech and optics use cases as a much larger incumbent.
- AGC (Asahi Glass): Global glass manufacturer with extensive specialty glass, display, and automotive lighting divisions. Competes broadly in the same end-markets Glassomer targets, with much larger scale and pricing power.
- Carl Zeiss: German precision optics and glass manufacturer with deep expertise in high-purity glass for lithography and medical devices. Could become a customer for novel glass optics or a competitor via in-house capability.
Emerging players
- Formlabs: Desktop and industrial SLA 3D printer manufacturer whose printers are a natural installation base for Glassomer-SL resins. Strategic partner-or-substitute risk depending on whether Formlabs develops competing materials or integrates vertically.
- Tethon 3D: US-based ceramic and specialty-material 3D printing company selling resins and offering printing services. Comparable in materials-and-services model though smaller scale and US-focused.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Glassomer social profiles
Digital presenceGlassomer financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Glassomer leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Glassomer funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Glassomer M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Glassomer
What does Glassomer do?
Glassomer manufactures and sells high-purity fused silica glass components produced via its patented Glassomer Process. The proprietary composite material (glass powder + organic binder) is shaped like a polymer on standard injection molding machines or 3D printers, then thermally processed to yield transparent, fully dense fused silica glass parts. Offerings span Glass Injection Molding services, Glass 3D Printing prototyping, precision Lenses, Microfluidic glass chips, and Tailored Components, sold B2B to customers worldwide.
Is Glassomer a public or private company?
Glassomer is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Glassomer founded?
Glassomer was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Glassomer based?
Glassomer is headquartered in Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Glassomer make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Custom Glass Parts Manufacturing is the primary driver. The others are glass 3D Printing Resins, prototype Manufacturing Services and joint Development Agreements.
Who are Glassomer's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lithoz, 3DCeram (3D Ceram Sinto) and Sculpteo. Broad incumbents are Schott AG, Corning Incorporated, Hoya Corporation, AGC (Asahi Glass) and Carl Zeiss. Emerging players are Formlabs and Tethon 3D.
Does Glassomer have an API?
No public API is recorded for Glassomer.
What industry is Glassomer in?
Glassomer's product category is Precision Fused Silica Glass Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAAADAC, Ceramic & Glass 3D Printing Services, with a secondary code of IMANAFAL, Injection Molded Optical & Transparent Parts (Lenses, Light Guides). Its NAICS code is 32721 and its SIC code is 3220.